Firearms suppressors (also commonly referred to as silencers) are mechanical pressure reduction devices that contain a hole through the center of the device to allow the passage of a projectile such as a bullet. Firearm suppressors are typically affixed to the muzzle of a firearm at the front end of the weapon. The firearm suppressor, when in action, lowers the energy of the projectile propellant gases as they are exhausted within the firing chamber and behind the projectile in order to reduce the energy signature(s) of the exhaust gases. The exhaust gases are primarily the byproduct of nitrocellulose combusting in the confined space of the cartridge case and firearm bore. The exhaust gases may therefore increase the pressure in the firearm bore. Shorter barreled firearms may experience an increased percentage of propellant solids in the gas stream. The exhaust gases are often moving at supersonic speeds through the bore and the high energy of the combined gas and particulate matter may often lead to erosion, impingement, and/or deformation of the firearm suppressor. The areas of the suppressor nearest to the firearm exhaust (muzzle) and in line with the firearm bore may be exposed to the highest energy levels and may be most susceptible to erosion and impingement resultant from the exhaust gas and particulate mixture discussed above which may limit the application and duty cycle of the suppressor.
Other attempts to address the drawbacks associated with high energy erosion of the suppressor include constructing a suppressor with an inner sleeve and constructing a plurality of suppressor inserts. One example approach is shown by U.S. Pat. No. 8,087,338 Hines et al. Therein, the firearm suppressor comprises an internal insert sleeve member with a plurality of inserts and chambers disposed at locations along the insert sleeve. The inserts are removable from the insert sleeve and can be replaced and welded therein. However, the inventors herein have recognized potential issues with such systems. As one example, the welded inserts are vulnerable to attrition caused by the high energy gasses at the area of the suppressor nearest the firearm muzzle when projectiles are fired through the weapon when using the suppressor. Therefore, as recognized by the inventors herein, a more robust construction of a suppressor housing coupled to inserts may be necessary in order to extend the lifetime of the firearm suppressor.
In one embodiment, the issues described above may be addressed by a suppressor comprising a baffle system further comprising a complex geometry that may better distribute and disperse the exhaust gases and particulate material dispelled by the firearm. For example, when the complex geometry baffle system is provided in a suppressor during additive manufacturing, or 3-D printing, in one embodiment, the suppressor may be formed integrally via 3-D printing small horizontal subsections of the suppressor at a time. The suppressor may be formed as an integrally single unitary piece, at least in one embodiment.
In another embodiment, the suppressor may be operatively configured to be attached to a firearm. The suppressor may include a tubular housing body defining a longitudinal or central axis, wherein the baffle sections of the suppressor are integrated and encased within the tubular housing component. In this way, the interior baffle section(s) may be surrounded by a housing such that the efficiency and efficacy of the suppressor are maintained.
In one example, the suppressor system may include an interior portion comprising a plurality of chambers, and the plurality of chambers may further comprise a complex geometry.
For example, in one embodiment, an interior portion of the suppressor may include baffle sections within the tubular housing which have a triangular helical profile, wherein the helix of the triangular helical profile rotates about an axis defined by the path of a projectile to be fired through the suppressor. An interior of the tubular housing may include helical sections that are integral with the tubular housing, which are discussed in more detail below. In examples where sound suppressor includes helical sections and baffle sections, propellant gases may travel through a region of the sound suppressor formed within the tubular housing between the interior of the tubular housing and an exterior surface of the baffle sections. Additionally, in at least one example, the plurality of triangular and helical baffle section(s) of the suppressor may further include a partially hollow interior section that may contain small u-shaped passages along an axis defined by a path of a projectile to be fired through the suppressor (e.g., the central axis). In such examples where the baffle sections include a partially hollow interior section containing small u-shaped passages along the central axis, the propellant gases may travel through a region of the sound suppressor formed within the tubular housing between the interior of the housing and the exterior of the baffle sections, and the propellant gases may further travel through the hollow interior sections (e.g., u-shaped passages) of the baffle.
Inclusion of such baffle sections may contribute to increasing a residency time of propellant gases within the sound suppressor, thus helping to reduce a sound of the firearm during a firing event. It will be appreciated that in at least one example, the interior portions of the suppressor such as the baffle section briefly mentioned above may also be integrally formed along with the tubular housing portion. The interior baffle portions may be spaced along the interior of the tubular housing body at constant or varied distances. In addition, the area defined by the triangular helix of the baffle section that is not in direct contact with the interior wall of the tubular housing body may define the one or more expansion chambers, wherein components of propellant gases resulting from a discharged projectile may expand, slow in forward momentum, and reduce in temperature and pressure.
The tubular housing body may further comprise a projectile entrance portion and a projectile exit portion disposed at a longitudinally rearward region and a longitudinally forward region, respectively. The rearward end of the suppressor may have an opening sufficiently large enough to permit passage of at least a portion of a firearm barrel, where the silencer may attach via connectable interaction devices such as interlacing threads.
In another embodiment, the suppressor may include a set of interior projections along the projectile passage path near the projectile entrance portion at a longitudinally rearward portion and disposed within a first chamber area of the suppressor. The projections may be formed integrally similarly to the helical sections and the baffle sections referenced above.
In this way, a firearm suppressor may be able to withstand the potentially corrosive effects of projectile propellant gases, and the lifetime of the suppressor may therefore be extended and the overall costs of owning and using a suppressor may be reduced. Other elements of the disclosed embodiments of the present subject matter are provided in detail herein.
It should be understood that the summary above is provided to introduce in simplified form, a selection of concepts that are further described in the detailed description. It is not meant to identify key or essential features of the subject matter. Furthermore, the disclosed subject matter is not limited to implementations that solve any disadvantages noted above or in any part of this disclosure.
The above drawings are to scale, although other relative dimensions may be used, if desired. The drawings may depict components directly touching one another and in direct contact with one another and/or adjacent to one another, although such positional relationships may be modified, if desired. Further, the drawings may show components spaced away from one another without intervening components therebetween, although such relationships again, could be modified, if desired.